I had just parked my car they began to swarm. Cops. A dozen of them. Guns drawn and all running toward my apartment building. I exited my car cautiously when the reporter in me began to get curious.
"What's going on here?" I asked of the older officer in plain clothes.
"Nothing to be alarmed about," he answered.
"I live in this building," I said.
"Just stay on the lawn ma'am," he answered.
They were surrounding a unit on the first floor. The same unit that had an eviction notice on its door earlier that morning.
I stood on the lawn mouth flung open and gawking like a tourist when one of the officers grabbed a battering ram to beat down the door. Fortunately it wasn't needed. The occupant answered their booming calls with cooperation.
My poor neighbor was then cuffed and escorted to a nearby squad car wearing just his shorts and socks. Forced to stare helplessly as the police searched his car and home.
One of the cops yelled, "This is America!" as he gave his colleague a high-five.
After a slew of neighbors gathered in their yards to inspect the scene, I was finally allowed to enter the building.
I went straight to my unit and emerged moments later with my wiener dog in tow to "go for a walk" aka do some additional snooping.
"Nice wiener," the young blonde cop said.
"Thanks," I answered. "What can I say. I love the wiener."
It was the last time we would speak. The officers left shortly after taking my neighbor with them and leaving a sense of insecurity with the occupants of a certain apartment building on Ocean Boulevard.
August 10, 2007 14:30
oh you live in long beach